What makes someone an ‘expert’?
…a skill or talent?
…knowledge about a topic?
…past successes?
…a credential or certification?
We all know experts. Sometimes I envy them because they have a defined area of expertise that can be marketed clearly…making them the go-to person for something…thereby cementing their job security. That’s obviously a huge oversimplification and assumes their area of expertise stays relevant. Some experts I’ve met say it can actually be a curse with as many negatives as positives.
In my quest to find out if I’m an expert in anything I looked up the definition. According to the Merriam-Webster website an expert is “one with a special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject.” This gave me hope…I believe I have lots of skills and knowledge. That said, I don’t know if I can actually claim ‘mastery’ in anything. I looked up that word too, but won’t continue down the potentially endless path of definitions. The good news is I found something that I am without a doubt an expert in.
In my experience, I’m an expert at having my own opinions. That’s the one thing no one is better at than me. Silly?…Maybe. True?…Yes. I use my opinions every day to inform what I do, how I do it and why I do it. Of course, I also base decisions and actions on past experiences and learnings.
While I may never be viewed as a true expert in something “tangible”, there is still enormous value in non-expert levels of skill, knowledge and experience. The need for true expertise can be short-term, such as getting from A to B on a project. Once that’s done, us non-experts can take it from there without degradation in delivery, because expertise isn’t the only path to success.
My aim is to be a high-performer, broad in focus and capability, because that’s what I enjoy. That said, I sure do appreciate the capability and availability of experts when I need them.
Special thanks to Andrew Colombo, whose expertise and friendship are invaluable, and to Tim Creasey, whose thought-leadership in Change Management is transformational.